Is 5g of glue too much glue?

says MIA
says MIA
Well-Known Member
Nov 2016
2,132
1,090
11,017
I've weighed every steps of gluing my last several setups, by weighing the clean blade separately, the rubber sheets pre-glue and pre-cut, the excess rubber post-cut, and finally the whole glued blade with rubbers, and amongst other things have determined I use roughly 5g of glue each time.

Is that too much glue?

For info, I use the Butterfly Free Chack II, 1 layer of glue on each side of the blade, and 2 layers on each rubber sponge (I've had issues with the rubber lifting up around the edges if I don't).
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BeGo
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Apr 2014
1,486
1,087
2,609
Read 3 reviews
Is that too much glue?
1 layer of glue on each side of the blade, and 2 layers on each rubber sponge

I don´t think there is a definitive answer. If your setup feels right (response, performance), is well-balanced and not too heavy then why worry. As with many of little things in table tennis, theory doesn´t help ;)
 
says MIA
says MIA
Well-Known Member
Nov 2016
2,132
1,090
11,017
I don´t think there is a definitive answer. If your setup feels right (response, performance), is well-balanced and not too heavy then why worry. As with many of little things in table tennis, theory doesn´t help ;)

Haha, well I'm trying to go down in weight a little and also making sure I'm not over-gluing and taking away from the response of the rubber. But if it doesn't seem like a ton of glue, then I must be ok!

Thinking of switching to Nittaku Fine Zip as I hear it's more sticky.
 
says MIA
says MIA
Well-Known Member
Nov 2016
2,132
1,090
11,017
I agree with the above re personal preference. In my experience, my glue adds 2-3g per side. It could have been less but I use a thin glue so I need to put enough so that it's easy to peel off the residue when I change rubbers.

Thanks. Good to know I'm not going overboard. Which glue do you use? And do you give the rubber one or 2 coats?
 
says Spin and more spin.
says Spin and more spin.
Well-Known Member
Super Moderator
Dec 2010
16,146
17,685
54,747
Read 11 reviews
Given that some top players use 12-16 coats of glue on, I doubt you are anywhere near too much. The idea that less glue would take away from the response of the rubber is a bit odd. It is the opposite way around. If the bond between sponge and wood is full and the sponge has mobility while being solidly attached, it will respond to the ball better. That actually means, more glue helps the rubber respond better. Which is part of why some players use so many coats. Most amateur players use one or two coats on the sponge and one on the wood though. And that is a fine amount.

May I ask why you are trying to cut down on the weight of your setup? Is it an injury or something else?
 
This user has no status.
Thanks. Good to know I'm not going overboard. Which glue do you use? And do you give the rubber one or 2 coats?

I use Haifu Water Solubility Bond. It's really thin and dries very quickly so it necessitates at least 4 layers on the rubber to be removable. One coat of this adds less than 1 gram.
 
says ok, I will go back and make sure you have access. Be...
says ok, I will go back and make sure you have access. Be...
Well-Known Member
Nov 2010
3,568
5,931
10,356
Read 8 reviews
Assuming glue has a density about the same as water, and some of it evaporates, 5 grams does not seem like a lot. I use the same glue exactly the way you describe it, and that is the best method for getting good even adhesion with that glue for most sponges.
 
Last edited:
says MIA
says MIA
Well-Known Member
Nov 2016
2,132
1,090
11,017
Assuming glue has a density about the same as water, and some of it evaporates, 5 grams does not seem like a lot. I use the same glue exactly the way you describe it, and that is the best method for getting good even adhesion with that glue for most sponges.

It does seem to evaporate indeed. If I weigh the setup after a while, it goes down by a few grams.
 
says MIA
says MIA
Well-Known Member
Nov 2016
2,132
1,090
11,017
Given that some top players use 12-16 coats of glue on, I doubt you are anywhere near too much. The idea that less glue would take away from the response of the rubber is a bit odd. It is the opposite way around. If the bond between sponge and wood is full and the sponge has mobility while being solidly attached, it will respond to the ball better. That actually means, more glue helps the rubber respond better. Which is part of why some players use so many coats. Most amateur players use one or two coats on the sponge and one on the wood though. And that is a fine amount.

May I ask why you are trying to cut down on the weight of your setup? Is it an injury or something else?

Woah, great to know. Didn't realize the pros used so many layers.

I'm trying to cut down on the weight of my setup as I have small wrists, it seems to help relieve stress on my wrists and make them more mobile and feel better in general.

One of my blades is 93.5g and seems way too heavy for me, 89g is ok, 85-87g feels best.

Thoughts?
 
says Spin and more spin.
says Spin and more spin.
Well-Known Member
Super Moderator
Dec 2010
16,146
17,685
54,747
Read 11 reviews
Woah, great to know. Didn't realize the pros used so many layers.

I'm trying to cut down on the weight of my setup as I have small wrists, it seems to help relieve stress on my wrists and make them more mobile and feel better in general.

One of my blades is 93.5g and seems way too heavy for me, 89g is ok, 85-87g feels best.

Thoughts?

Are your wrists small? Or are they not strong? Strengthening wrists sometimes helps.

For someone who is younger or not strong, a lighter setup is sometimes useful. For someone who has an injury or repetitive stress issue like tennis elbow, sometimes a lighter racket makes sense.

If it is just your wrists but they are basically healthy, you might think of the strengthening thing. In the long run it may do more to protect them anyway.

In the end, everything is a tradeoff. Heavier racket, lighter racket, they each have advantages and disadvantages.

But if you are worrying about the weight of your setup to the point that you are trying to count grams of glue, then I suggest the therapy of going on a TT adventure with Der_Echte.

He just may hand you a beast mod setup that you try and love and then find out the blade itself weighs 120+ grams. [emoji2]


Sent from The Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy
 
says MIA
says MIA
Well-Known Member
Nov 2016
2,132
1,090
11,017
Are your wrists small? Or are they not strong? Strengthening wrists sometimes helps.

For someone who is younger or not strong, a lighter setup is sometimes useful. For someone who has an injury or repetitive stress issue like tennis elbow, sometimes a lighter racket makes sense.

If it is just your wrists but they are basically healthy, you might think of the strengthening thing. In the long run it may do more to protect them anyway.

In the end, everything is a tradeoff. Heavier racket, lighter racket, they each have advantages and disadvantages.

But if you are worrying about the weight of your setup to the point that you are trying to count grams of glue, then I suggest the therapy of going on a TT adventure with Der_Echte.

He just may hand you a beast mod setup that you try and love and then find out the blade itself weighs 120+ grams. [emoji2]

My wrists and hands are definitely small and not strong, but otherwise healthy. That is why a seemingly lighter setup feels better and puts less stress on them. I should absolutely look into strengthening exercises, thank you for the suggestion.

Ah, I've seen some of Der_Echte's beast mode setups, they're impressive, especially the FZD Viscaria with the Stiga handle! :cool: (I like the feel of my Viscaria but really dislike it's fat FL handle especially at the bottom, wish they had an ST version still or smaller FL, think I can cut it down?).

anchorschmidt in his reply above reminded me of something that I had thought about before when he said: "Could also be because of head heaviness. For me 93g with weight balanced at the centre is much lighter then 85g and head heavy". I have to agree with him, what definitely weights down my wrist is when a setup is too head heavy.

So you saying that a 120+g blade could suit me even with heavy rubbers could be true!

Right now I'm thinking of buying a lighter Nittaku Acoustic Carbon, probably 87g, to replace the 93g I own, since I really enjoy the way it plays. And perhaps also purchasing a similar blade to the Viscaria, but with an ST handle, maybe the Freitas ALC or Timo Boll Spirit, and also requesting 87g.

More thoughts? ; )
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Suga D
says Spin and more spin.
says Spin and more spin.
Well-Known Member
Super Moderator
Dec 2010
16,146
17,685
54,747
Read 11 reviews
My wrists and hands are definitely small and not strong, but otherwise healthy. That is why a seemingly lighter setup feels better and puts less stress on them. I should absolutely look into strengthening exercises, thank you for the suggestion.

Ah, I've seen some of Der_Echte's beast mode setups, they're impressive, especially the FZD Viscaria with the Stiga handle! :cool: (I like the feel of my Viscaria but really dislike it's fat FL handle especially at the bottom, wish they had an ST version still or smaller FL, think I can cut it down?).

anchorschmidt in his reply above reminded me of something that I had thought about before when he said: "Could also be because of head heaviness. For me 93g with weight balanced at the centre is much lighter then 85g and head heavy". I have to agree with him, what definitely weights down my wrist is when a setup is too head heavy.

So you saying that a 120+g blade could suit me even with heavy rubbers could be true!

Right now I'm thinking of buying a lighter Nittaku Acoustic Carbon, probably 87g, to replace the 93g I own, since I really enjoy the way it plays. And perhaps also purchasing a similar blade to the Viscaria, but with an ST handle, maybe the Freitas ALC or Timo Boll Spirit, and also requesting 87g.

More thoughts? ; )

The "beast mode Viscaria": that was Giang who did that. He did call it mode: it is supposed to be mod, short for modification. But that Viscera did not have weight added to the handle because the handle was solid. So, technically, it was an attempt at a beast modification, but then ended up being something else. :)

Look for, rebuilding the beast.

If a Viscaria handle feels too big for you, can I ask 2 things:

1) how old are you?

2) how do you hold your racket?

If you are a under 11 years old, then I can see that handle being a little big for you. By 13 it should no longer be the case.

If you are an adult, my guess is that, how you are holding your racket is more an issue than what size the handle is. The three fingers that are wrapping around the handle should be lose and relaxed for adjustments in grip. The index finger and thumb on the blade face (lowest part of the rubber) should be what does the real holding of the racket.

If you are grabbing too hard with middle finger, ring finger and pinky, it would explain your problem with your wrists while playing. Those fingers tightening too much can cause you tightness in your forearm and wrist which would be counterproductive for TT.
 
Top